Why read Diaries, 1942-1954?

Book cover of Diaries, 1942-1954

Book description

James Lees-Milne (1908-97) made his name as the country house expert of the National Trust and for being a versatile author. But he is now best known for the remarkable diary he kept for most of his adult life, which has been compared with that of Samuel Pepys and hailed…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Diaries, 1942-1954 as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Simon Edge

Author

James Lees-Milne began writing his diaries while invalided out of the Second World War, acquiring grand country houses for the fledgling National Trust and recording his dealings with their aristocratic owners as they shivered in vast piles that they could no longer afford to staff or heat.

He started to publish edited versions in the mid-1970s, and they were abridged and assembled into their present form by Michael Bloch in 2006. A friend has been pressing me to read them for ages – and I’m so grateful he didn’t give up.

Gloriously gossipy about Lees-Milne’s own sexually adventurous, upper-crust literary…

From Simon's 3 favorite reads in 2023.